At the core of a PS5 console is the graphics processing unit (GPU). The GPU is more like the foundation of the console because the PS5 can handle the most graphics-demanding games like Returnal, Death Stranded, Ghost of Tsushima, etc. But what type of GPU does Sony use in the PS5?
The PlayStation 5 is powered by an AMD Radeon RDNA 2 GPU architecture. For those who may not be familiar with this GPU, it is a custom-made GPU that houses up to 16 GB of GDDR6 memory.
Compared to a regular GPU, the PS5 GPU is highly customized for power efficiency and gaming. Hence, you are better off with a PS5 than a PC for gaming. Find out more about the GPU in a PS5 in this article.
Features of the PS5 Graphics Card
The GPU that comes in the PS5 is the AMD RDN 2 Graphics Architecture. This GPU is a high-end gaming console graphics solution built on the Foxconn crap motherboard. It features a 7 nm process with over 10 million transistors, a power rating of about 180 W max, and an operating frequency of 2233 MHz. In addition to the impressive spec of the PS5 graphics card, it also comes with many modern features.
Below are some of the innovative features of the PS5 graphics card.
Feature #1: Ray Tracing
Ray tracing is one of the most exciting features of the PS5 graphics card. For those unfamiliar with ray tracing, it is a complicated rendering technology that allows the console to produce realistic lighting effects by imitating light in a natural environment. The PS5 implements a hardware-based ray tracing technology on the console. Although ray tracing is quite tasking on a powerful PC, with the customized GPU on the PS5, ray tracing is enabled for many games.
Feature #2: 4K Resolution
Another feature of the PS5 GPU worth noting is its 4K resolution capability. Not all GPUs support 4K resolution. Hence, with the 4K resolution on the PS5 console, you can enjoy high-definition image quality in your games. In addition to its brilliant picture quality, the PS5 GPU supports a refresh rate of 120 frames per second. But if you want the best image quality from your PS5, your equipment, such as the monitor, must have end-to-end support, including an HDMI 2.1 cable and a modern 4K monitor.
Feature #3: 16 Gbps GDDR6 Memory
Interestingly, the GPU that comes with the PS5 is the GDDR6 memory. The GDDR6 is one of the latest graphics cards from AMD that appeared in early 2019. Unlike the GDDR5 and GDDR5X, the GDDR6 is built differently with 16 Gbps memory plus an extra 128 MB Infinity Cache. The console can compute data simultaneously with such an amount of graphics memory. The 256-bit memory bus also contributes to the rendering speed of the graphics card on the GPU.
Feature #4: Better Heat Management
One thing GPUs are notorious for is that they generate much heat. While the PS5 GPU also produces a lot of heat, it is designed with a better heat management system. The PS5 GPU performs better with handling heat because the manufacturer uses a liquid metal between the heatsink and the AMD system on a chip. For this reason, its GPU can disperse heat faster, thus keeping the console at an average working temperature even when playing the most graphics-demanding game.
Feature #5: FidelityFX
FidelityFX is a shared-based upscaling feature on the PS5 GPU that helps to enhance the treasure and perceived resolution and even improve the frame rate. Like the ray tracing feature, the FidelityFX feature on the PS5 GPU helps improve the console’s picture quality. The FidelityFX aims to improve eight critical aspects of the PS5 picture quality.
- Parallel sort.
- Downsampler.
- HDR mapper
- Denoiser.
- Screen space reflection.
- Ambient occlusion.
- Contrast adaptive sharpening.
If you already own a desktop PC and don’t want to buy a PS5 but upgrade your GPU to be able to handle gaming like a PS5, GPUs that are equivalent to the PS5 GPU include the likes of the GeForce RTX 3080, Radeon RX 6800 XT, and GeForce RTX 3070, amongst others.
Conclusion
Overall, looking at the features that come on the PS5, you will understand you are getting a pretty good deal. The PS5 has a decent GPU that handles demanding graphics games effortlessly. In all fairness, a console GPU is way better for gaming in many ways than a PC GPU.
So, if you are contemplating whether to buy a PS5 or a gaming PC, you should go for the PS5 if you strictly want to use it for gaming. But a gaming PC might be more appropriate if you are considering other functions.
